Speak Now Don't Say Yes
by ImaginaryPoet
Summary: Quinn has some choice words for Rachel when she finds out about Finn's proposal.  -ONESHOT-


**AN**: I'm not sure where this is coming from, though I can say honestly that it came so strongly that I couldn't ignore it and let it go to "fic idea Heaven." I guess it's safe to say that the moment I saw it in my head was the moment it became real for me. Thanks in advance for allowing it to be real for you, too.

**FYI**: I don't own anything but my ideas, very sadly.

"Quinn?" she asked as she climbed the stairs to the stage, where the blonde was seated behind the piano with the blankest of expressions on her face.  
>"What are you doing here?" she tried again.<p>

"I needed to get away," Quinn responded sadly, "so I figured I'd come here, since it always seemed to work for you."

"What's wrong?" she tried.

"I just…I have some things going on, and I shouldn't bother you with them."

"You wouldn't be bothering me," Rachel replied, laying a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "we're friends now, right?"

"Right," the blonde answered back.

"It's my parents. I knew when I agreed to move back with my mom that things wouldn't automatically be perfect. I wasn't so dumb as to expect her to quit drinking and wallowing."

"Does she drink too much?" Rachel asked.

"That's never changed," Quinn laughed spitefully.

"She's letting my dad move back in," Quinn said flatly.

"I thought they were divorcing," Rachel offered.

"So did I," Quinn replied, "but someone's got to buy the wine, and Judy's running on empty."

"I'm so sorry, Quinn."

"I know you are. You're always sorry for things you shouldn't be apologizing for."

"You're going to Yale soon, you won't have to be around them for very much longer," Rachel assured, "and if you're not too popular already before classes start, you can always come visit Kurt and I. We could come visit you, too," she smiled, taking a seat next to Quinn on the piano bench.

"I know," Quinn said sadly.

"Or…we could stay very far away?" Rachel offered, sensing the sadness still.

"No, no, it's not that," Quinn said, "and to be honest, I sort of expected that my dad would be back eventually."

"Then what's wrong?"

"I don't think I can talk about it right this second," Quinn said, "Can we talk about anything else?"

"I came here to think, too," Rachel admitted.

"Sorry for stealing your spot."

"No, don't be. It's awkward being here right now. I couldn't imagine being here all alone."

"What happened?"

"Can you promise to keep a secret? I know that we've only recently become friends and given our past you understand that I'm still not sure that I can trust you whole heartedly. But for some reason, I think that you're the only person I can trust with this."

"ARE YOU PREGNANT?" Quinn scream whispered as she jolted up from the bench.

"NO! No, it's nothing like that."

"I'm sorry, when people say they have specific things to tell me, I usually jump to that conclusion. It's led to some awkward times with Brittany and Santana," Quinn blushed.

"It's Finn. Earlier in the auditorium, he asked me to marry him."

"WHAT?"

"I know! I couldn't answer! It's not that he's completely un-marryable and that someday in the future I wouldn't consider it but…I'm eighteen! I have dreams and goals and…I think I've already let a lot of them go in favor of him. But I'm afraid that if I say no, or at least no for right now, he's not going to take it well. He might want end things."

"So?" Quinn said unexpectedly.

"Quinn?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant, so what if he gets mad? Your dreams are worth fighting for. You're a star, Rachel. You're probably the only person who'll ever grow up in Lima and end up successful somewhere else. As a friend, I advise you to think about your future. You and I both know that your dreams of Broadway have been around much longer than your dreams of your relationship with Finn. If he can't handle that, maybe he isn't someone who deserves to be a part of your life."

"You're a good friend."

"It's surprising, right?"

"What do you think not as my friend?"

"What?"

"We've spent so long at each other's throats, Quinn. I know you still have it in you to be not my friend."

"You're right," Quinn began, and took a deep breath.

"As not your friend, I think you should say no."

"Well that isn't very helpful-"

"I'm not done. As not your friend, I think you should say no. I think you should say no because you know deep inside that you're too young for such a commitment and that he's too immature to be the one you commit to. I think that you should say no to giving up, because I think that same part of you knows that saying yes means giving up your dreams. Marrying him does not mean moving to New York next year. Marrying him means enrolling in Lima Community College and starring in their fall and spring productions, because you are always going to be a star. But that's as far as you'll ever go. You won't leave Lima, because he'll be too busy with the shop. You won't leave Lima because he won't want to be away from his mom. You won't leave Lima because even though you'd give up your every wish to please him, he'd never leave Lima for you. He just would never. As someone who isn't your friend I can tell you that if you were supposed to say yes, you'd have already said it. As someone who isn't your friend, has never been your friend, and has never wanted to be your friend, Rachel, I think you should say no. I think you should say no, because out of every school in the world, I chose the one in New Haven. Out of every possibility, I chose the one 82.9 miles from you. I think you should say no because every one of those pornographic pictures was surrounded by _**hearts**_. I think you should say no, because I care about your happiness. I think you should say no because I'd do everything for you if you asked. I think you should say no because I want to be your yes. I've never wanted to be friends with you, because I've always been in love with you. I've imagined so many times taking you to Time's Square on your 25th birthday and watching all of the screens change to pleas, "Marry me, Rachel?" right alongside the billboards for your debut in _West Side Story_. You'd look at me and I'd already know by the look on your face that you'd say yes."

"Quinn, I,"

"You asked me what was wrong, Rachel. It was wrong that I couldn't tell you how I felt once I figured it out, because I didn't want to ruin your happiness. I know you're going on to much better things than Lima and much better things than me. I was so afraid that I'd never tell you because by the time I was ready you'd be long gone to New York and you'd have dropped Finn in favor of some NYU hipster and you'd never want to see me again after everything I put you through. I feel for Finn. I can imagine how much it would suck to lose you, Rachel, but I'm okay with that. I'm okay with you doing everything you've ever dreamed of without me if it means that you're going to be happy. But I can't let you say yes to him. You'll never get everything that you want if you choose to say yes. I can promise you that if you say no to him, you'll be happy and if you say no to me, I'll be alright knowing why."

"What if I don't want to say no Quinn?" Rachel yelled, surprising them both.

Quinn, not expecting the words from herself and still in awe of them, replied:

"I'm so sorry, Rachel, I shouldn't have said-"

"No, Quinn, not to him," Rachel said, as Quinn stared in awe.

Thanks very much for reading! Feedback is much appreciated but is never required.


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